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With 2023 now in the past, PBR Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2024. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2024 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2024 Team Preview, click here.

Interested in attending a PBR Michigan event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2024 Spring Team Preview: Northville Mustangs

NORTHVILLE - After 18 years as head coach at University Liggett, Dan Cimini has a new home. The veteran mentor is now in charge of the Northville program and with it comes tremendous expectations.

“I have great memories from my time at University Liggett, but it’s a small school and I wanted to go play the best of the best,” Cimini explained about the move. “This is a jump to Division I and I want to try to be the best. Never be satisfied.”

Despite an outstanding 32-5 season a year ago, the 2023 finish left Northville far from satisfied last year.

“They were undefeated in the league last year and beat Novi in-season, but lost to them in the district championship game,” Cimini reflected on last year’s Northville season.

A senior-laden team will take the field this year for the Mustangs, with the entire pitching staff back from a squad that lost its starting catcher and shortstop.

“They’re buying into my philosophy,” Cimini said in evaluating how things are going in his new position in charge of the top-ranked team in Michigan, which is rated 29th in the Prep Baseball National poll. “I want to bring my style. I expect to win. I’m really competitive. I want to try to bring the best out of my players.

“Expectations are to win every time we step on the field,” Cimini continued. “Nothing is better than being No. 1 and everybody shooting for you. The kids rally around that.”

Pitching is at a premium at Northville, with Joey Broughton leading the way. The 23rd-rated left-handed pitcher in the nation, a Pittsburgh signee whose fastball has topped out at 95, was 8-0 with a 0.457 ERA last season, striking out 77 and giving up 10 hits in 46 innings.

Caden Besco was 5-0 with five saves and a 1.00 ERA, fanning 50 in 41.2 frames while Dominic Minghine was 7-2 with a 1.50 ERA, recording 62 Ks in 55.1 innings. Justin Brown, who was 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25 innings, is also back for the Mustangs along with Evan Deak, who was 3-1 with one save and a 1.90 ERA. Besco, the 19th-rated senior RHP in the state, is a Lansing CC recruit, Minghine, the 17th-ranked 2024 right-handed pitcher in Michigan, is headed to Illinois-Chicago, and Brown, the number eight senior righty in the state, is committed to the University of Michigan.

Senior Carter Jurcisin is another returnee after going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and one save.

Depth comes from Connor O’Neil, the 39th-ranked 2025 RHP in Michigan, and junior Greg Burns along with senior southpaw Isaac Pace, the quarterback on Northville’s football team this past fall.

“We have three that can hit 90, and the rest are mid-to-high-80s,” Cimini points out. “They throw strikes and pound the zone.”

Center fielder Dante Nori, a Mississippi State commit, will bat leadoff after the 10th-ranked senior outfielder in the country produced an on-base percentage of better than .500 a year ago, hitting .327 with 49 runs, 28 walks, 28 stolen bases, eight triples and five doubles.

Broughton, who carried a .333 average with 37 RBIs and five home runs in earning all-state recognition, will bat second and pitch or play first with Deak, the eighth-ranked senior outfielder in Michigan, fitting into the three-hole and playing left after leading the team with a .355 average.

Luke Dieringer, the 12th-ranked senior third baseman in Michigan, will hit cleanup after earning all-state honors with a .340 average.

Trevor Schuller, the 26th-rated senior catcher in the state, will start behind the plate, backed up by seniors Andrew Miller and Kellen Steger. Junior Carson Eaton will be the shortstop with senior Connore Vissotski at second. Jurcisin, who had a .316 average with 31 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 2023, will play right.

“Defense will be a strength and we also have good speed going for us,” Cimini said. “Run, run, run, bunt, slash, squeeze … offensively we want to put a lot of pressure on the other team.”

There is more that stands out to the new head coach about this year’s Mustangs.

“I love the camaraderie,” Cimini explained. “They grew up together. It’s like a band of brothers.”

A tough schedule with Brother Rice (37th-ranked team in the country), Catholic Central, Novi, Woodhaven and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s just some of the strong in-state foes ahead. A Prep Baseball Invitational at Prasco Park in Cincinnati has also been added to the slate, with Massillon Jackson the first-round opponent in a field of eight that also includes Moeller, the seventh-ranked team in the nation, and Trinity (Ky), rated 32nd in the country

“The thing these guys are buying into is it doesn’t matter who we play, do what we’re supposed to do,” noted Cimini, who enters this year with an overall coaching record of 514-136. “Just compete against the game of baseball.”

The plan is to make it to the Final 4 when it is all said and done.

“We expect to be at Michigan State,” Cimini said of the site for the state tournament. “That’s the makeup of these guys. But you’ve got to be clicking at the right time, at the end of the year.

“Last year left a bad taste,” Cimini added in reference to Northville’s loss in the district finals to the eventual state champion. “They really want it this year. They want to avenge what happened last year.”

 

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